Jersey City students applies for first manned mission to Mars

Jersey City has a chance to be represented on the first manned mission to Mars.

Brian Robles, a 21-year-old Rutgers student, was selected among 1,000 people to compete for a spot on a spaceship destined to colonize the red planet through the Netherlands-based nonprofit, Mars One.

The ticket, however, does not include a ride back to his home planet.

“It’s scary,” said Robles. “But ... we need people to take risks for the betterment of everyone else.”

Robles has always dreamed of becoming an astronaut, but the prospect of dedicating years to training for the space program put that dream out of reach. That was until he came across Mars One, which has set its sights on sending men and women to colonize Mars starting in 2024.

Brian Robles

Robles said he filled out an online application as a joke last year, never expecting anything to come of it. He filled out an application that asked about character traits, such as adaptability and creativity, and he made a short video explaining why he should be selected.

His skepticism evaporated in January when he received email confirmation that he was one of 1,058 candidates to make it to the second round. Mars One received more than 200,000 applicants, according to the website.

Robles studies public health at Rutgers and expects to graduate in January 2015.

The selection process will continue this year and again in 2015, whittling down the remaining applicants through simulations, team training and testing of the candidates’ physical and emotional capabilities, according to the website.

The mission’s aim is to create a permanent human settlement on Mars, according to the Mars One website. The 24-40 people, who will be eventually chosen as earth’s ambassadors, will be sent off in teams of four every two years beginning in 2024, the website says.

Mars One did not respond to emails for comment.

If chosen to be in the Mars crew, Robles said he would bring two things with him on the trip: His iPod for music and a stuffed animal from his childhood.

“My friends definitely don’t want me to go, but they are excited for me ... and supportive,” he said.